The Role of Rac1 in Synaptic Plasticity, Learning and Memory
type: CreativeWork
description: During the process of learning and memory, neuronal synapses undergo changes involving gene expression, protein synthesis, and cytoarchitectural remodeling, referred to as synaptic plasticity. Changes in the morphology of synapses are necessary for learning and memory storage, and require the rearrangement of the actin cytoskeleton at dendrites and actin rich dendritic spines which are the loci excitatory of synaptic transmission in the central nervous system. Rac1, a protein of the Rho subfamily of GTP binding proteins (GTPases), is largely known for its involvement in cytoskeleton remodeling, and has been implicated in neuronal development, participating in the morphological changes required for migration of newborn neurons to characteristic locations, extension of axons and dendrites into proper target regions, and formation of synapses with appropriate partners. However, the functional role of Rac1 in adult neuronal signaling has been relatively unclear. Our laboratory previously demonstrated that that Rac1 is highly expressed in the adult mouse hippocampus, a part of the brain, which is very crucial for memory acquisition. In vitro studies in hippocampal slices indicated that activation of the hippocampal N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor, the receptor that was modified to produce the “smart mouse” results in membrane translocation and activation of Rac1. Moreover, our laboratory has observed that translocation and activation of Rac1 are associated with fear learning in the adult mice. The purpose of this study was to examine whether Rac1 is required for regulation of the cytoskeletal dynamics leading to morphological plasticity observed at neuronal synapses during hippocampal learning and memory. To evaluate the importance of Rac1 in plasticity and learning we generated a mouse bearing a conditional inactivation of the rac1 gene in the hippocampus (referred herein as Rac1 knockouts [KO] or mutants) using the Cre/LoxP system. We showed that the disappearance…
abstract: During the process of learning and memory, neuronal synapses undergo changes involving gene expression, protein synthesis, and cytoarchitectural remodeling, referred to as synaptic plasticity. Changes in the morphology of synapses are necessary for learning and memory storage, and require the rearrangement of the actin cytoskeleton at dendrites and actin rich dendritic spines which are the loci excitatory of synaptic transmission in the central nervous system. Rac1, a protein of the Rho subfamily of GTP binding proteins (GTPases), is largely known for its involvement in cytoskeleton remodeling, and has been implicated in neuronal development, participating in the morphological changes required for migration of newborn neurons to characteristic locations, extension of axons and dendrites into proper target regions, and formation of synapses with appropriate partners. However, the functional role of Rac1 in adult neuronal signaling has been relatively unclear. Our laboratory previously demonstrated that that Rac1 is highly expressed in the adult mouse hippocampus, a part of the brain, which is very crucial for memory acquisition. In vitro studies in hippocampal slices indicated that activation of the hippocampal N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor, the receptor that was modified to produce the “smart mouse” results in membrane translocation and activation of Rac1. Moreover, our laboratory has observed that translocation and activation of Rac1 are associated with fear learning in the adult mice. The purpose of this study was to examine whether Rac1 is required for regulation of the cytoskeletal dynamics leading to morphological plasticity observed at neuronal synapses during hippocampal learning and memory. To evaluate the importance of Rac1 in plasticity and learning we generated a mouse bearing a conditional inactivation of the rac1 gene in the hippocampus (referred herein as Rac1 knockouts [KO] or mutants) using the Cre/LoxP system. We showed that the disappearance…
author: Bongmba, Odelia
language: eng
keywords: Rac1, Synaptic plasticity, Learning, Memory, Cre/LoxP System, Rac1 Mutant Mouse, Spine density
date published: 2012-05
date modified: 2026-07-24T02:31:47Z
provider: University of Houston
publisher: Networked Digital Library of Theses and Dissertations
type: WebPage
source organization: University of Houston

PropertyValue
property ID: Handle
value: http://hdl.handle.net/10657/ETD-UH-2012-05-441